Is it just me, or does it feel like every other week there is a heat wave? My AC unit is constantly working overtime, and I can barely stand on the subway platform for more than two minutes without overheating. While I’d love to stay indoors and bask in the coolness, life calls for me to be out and about, which means I have to pull out my lightweight pieces and put together a cute outfit.
In the past, I thought it was impossible to get dressed in a way that allowed me to stay cool and look chic. But this year, after sourcing elegant breathable pieces like linen minidresses, cotton shorts, and thin tank tops, and taking inspiration from fashion people who live in warm climates, my mindset and process for getting dressed have changed.
I have my own method for curating polished summer outfits with lightweight pieces, but I was also curious about the processes other fashion people follow. So in pursuit of adding a new styling trick or two to my repertoire, I reached out to five fashion insiders—including Who What Wear editors, celebrity stylists, and content creators. Prepare to take home some new fashion advice and discover elegant and breathable pieces that experienced shoppers rely on when the heat advisory alert comes on. Continue reading to discover it all.
Erin Fitzpatrick
WHO: @fitzpatrickerin, associate director, fashion news
“If you’re wondering what to wear when it’s really hot out, I have one word: linen. It’s my summer-dressing silver bullet—the perfect solution for all of my weather-related gripes. Linen is breathable and non-clingy, wicks sweat, and dries quickly. In the summer, I’m always self-conscious about sweating through my clothes, so I wear a lot of whites or patterns because they won’t show pit stains.”
